When diagnosed with breast cancer, many people feel helpless and out of control. Suddenly inundated with doctors and treatment decisions that are difficult to understand, it’s easy to feel that you no longer control your own health or destiny. More and more, however, breast cancer patients are turning to alternative therapies as an adjunct to traditional treatments.
These are decisions and treatments that the patient can control and even administer themselves, giving back some control over their health.
Few patients opt for alternative therapies alone. The vast majority still undergo chemotherapy or radiation and sometimes a lumpectomy or mastectomy.
But, studies have shown that there are several alternative therapies that can be effective. In particular, these alternative therapies often have the ability to make the traditional treatments more effective.
If you’re a breast cancer patient, you may want to consider adding alternative therapies to your current medical regimen. Following are some of the most effective therapies to consider:
Green Tea
Tea leaves contain catechins, part of the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is a potent anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants have been shown to slow down the aging process, and prevent diseases, including cancer.
However, more recent studies have shown that the EGCG and polyphenols in green tea may make traditional breast cancer treatments more effective.
There have been several studies that have shown that chemotherapy drugs commonly used to treat breast cancer appear in higher concentration in cancerous cells when green tea is administered along with the drugs. The green tea makes the cancer cells less resistant to the drug, so that it can be more effective.
Green tea is also helpful for treating cancer because it seems to slow down the progression of the disease. Cancer cells appear to stop growing and replicating when green tea is part of the treatment regimen. It is believed that green tea may be effective in preventing metastasis of cancer.
Diet
Watching your diet carefully while you’re undergoing cancer treatment can also be an effective way to treat your disease naturally. First of all, you should ensure that your diet is rich in anti-oxidants.
This includes eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, and including “power” foods like blueberries, pomegranates, and tomatoes. In addition, as mentioned above, green tea is also a good way to improve the number of anti-oxidants in your diet. It is also important to increase the fiber in your diet.
This will happen automatically if you increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, eliminating white flour and replacing it with whole grains will improve your fiber intake as well.
Herbs and Vitamins
Of course, herbs and vitamins have been used for centuries to promote healing. After all, herbs were the very first medicines. There are several herbs and vitamins that can either soothe side effects of cancer treatment or improve the effectiveness of the treatments. Some of the most important are:
Ginger Root – While ginger root doesn’t appear to affect cancer cells one way or another, it is a powerful tool for reducing the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy.
Calcium D-Glucarate - This vitamin and mineral supplement has been shown to reduce mammary cancer in animals. There are no side effects, so adding this to your diet seems a safe alternative therapy.
Melatonin – This is a pineal hormone. It is often used as a natural sleep aid. However, it is also a potent anti-oxidant that has been shown to inhibit estrogen responsive breast cancer cells. It also increases the effectiveness of tamoxifen, a commonly prescribed cancer drug.
St. John’s Wort – This herb has been relied upon for centuries to reduce anxiety, relieve stress and promote a regular sleep cycle. It has also been used to treat depression.
Because of its possible interaction with your cancer drugs, it is not recommended that you use St. John’s Wort while you’re going through chemotherapy. However, it may be an effective treatment before and after your chemotherapy treatment.
Mind, Body and Soul Treatments
Participating in activities that help you relax and that relieve pain and other physical symptoms can also be very effective at helping your body respond to your medicine. When undergoing chemotherapy, it’s not unusual to feel tired and nauseous.
Any treatments you can find to help relieve these symptoms can help you get better over the long haul by keeping your body strong. Some of the most popular treatments are:
Acupuncture- This ancient healing practice is known to be very effective at relieving chemotherapy induced nausea and it is also effective at reducing pain.
Yoga, Meditation and Hypnosis – All three of these techniques are associated with reducing stress. A reduction in stress may alleviate side effects that occur from cancer treatment and contribute to an overall sense of well being. Keeping our stress in check is helpful in healing our bodies from any ailment.
It’s important to evaluate all your options when you’re battling cancer. It’s critical to keep your doctor informed of any alternative treatments you’d like to include in your therapy. However, if your doctor is aware, you should feel free to explore the many alternative therapies that can be used to enhance your cancer treatments or relieve your side effects.
If you’d like to read more about the therapies mentioned here, as well as other alternative treatments, take a look at this article from HerbClip™.
By Jon M. Stout | On May 31, 2007
Sabtu, 01 September 2007
How Can you Help your Child Gain Independence With Diabetes?
Insulin-dependent diabetics often require regular injections as part of the disease management and treatment scheme. While your child is young, you will be left in charge of making sure he or she doesn’t fall below an adequate blood sugar level. It is often the case that parents are reluctant to let their children out of their sight, and with diabetes this becomes more the case. How can you help your child gain a sense of independence, while ensuring that their medical needs are catered for in society?
Support from all angles
Diabetes treatment support for those dealing with diabetes symptoms needs to come from all angles, especially from academic institutions where your child will be spending the majority of the daytime. Under new guidelines, some schools are upping their nursing facilities to deal with the support gap when parents need to get some work in and diabetes symptoms are at their most exposed. Schools in California will be required to have someone available who is trained to assist diabetic children under a legal settlement just concluded this month. The agreement sets a policy requiring children who have diabetes symptoms to be provided services under federal laws that guarantee equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
Plugging the gaps in school nursing
Statistics exist that show one in every 500 young people under the age of twenty having diabetes symptoms in the United States. A few states, including Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas, already have legislation that allows schools’ non-medical staff members to be trained to administer insulin and help children monitor blood-sugar levels. In the absence of a nurse, schools require parents to give insulin or other medical services if the child is unable to do it. School districts and nurses have insisted that only nurses can provide insulin diabetes treatment to children. California has 2,800 full-time nurses in 9,000 schools, making there not enough nurses to go around. Federal guidelines call for one nurse per 750 students to put diabetes treatment into practice.
Equality under the law
Parents naturally get extremely nervous about sending their kids to school without the guaranteed support of nursing officers capable of carrying out diabetes treatment. But with a new wave of understanding of the problem of diabetes and other less obvious medical problems, no longer should parents feel the need to pull out of their jobs and sell their homes. Equality for diabetics is becoming more entrenched in society, protected at a federal level and enforced in the states. The new policy also says schools can’t bar children from performing blood-sugar testing or require children with diabetes to attend a particular school. In essence, they can’t be treated any differently from other students.
Natural diabetes therapies complementing medication
Aside from support in taking their diabetes medication, children need to get lifestyle coaching that will last them through their lives, so that they don’t allow their bodies to get out of sink for avoidable reasons. Natural therapies cannot cure type 1 Diabetes, but can complement other diabetes treatments and may help by making the body more receptive to insulin supplied by injection. It is particularly critical for people with type 1 Diabetes to work carefully with the doctor prescribing insulin before contemplating the use of any herbs, supplements, or dietary changes mentioned in this article. Any change that makes the body more receptive to insulin could require critical changes in insulin dosage that must be determined by the physician treating your child’s diabetes.
Support from all angles
Diabetes treatment support for those dealing with diabetes symptoms needs to come from all angles, especially from academic institutions where your child will be spending the majority of the daytime. Under new guidelines, some schools are upping their nursing facilities to deal with the support gap when parents need to get some work in and diabetes symptoms are at their most exposed. Schools in California will be required to have someone available who is trained to assist diabetic children under a legal settlement just concluded this month. The agreement sets a policy requiring children who have diabetes symptoms to be provided services under federal laws that guarantee equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
Plugging the gaps in school nursing
Statistics exist that show one in every 500 young people under the age of twenty having diabetes symptoms in the United States. A few states, including Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas, already have legislation that allows schools’ non-medical staff members to be trained to administer insulin and help children monitor blood-sugar levels. In the absence of a nurse, schools require parents to give insulin or other medical services if the child is unable to do it. School districts and nurses have insisted that only nurses can provide insulin diabetes treatment to children. California has 2,800 full-time nurses in 9,000 schools, making there not enough nurses to go around. Federal guidelines call for one nurse per 750 students to put diabetes treatment into practice.
Equality under the law
Parents naturally get extremely nervous about sending their kids to school without the guaranteed support of nursing officers capable of carrying out diabetes treatment. But with a new wave of understanding of the problem of diabetes and other less obvious medical problems, no longer should parents feel the need to pull out of their jobs and sell their homes. Equality for diabetics is becoming more entrenched in society, protected at a federal level and enforced in the states. The new policy also says schools can’t bar children from performing blood-sugar testing or require children with diabetes to attend a particular school. In essence, they can’t be treated any differently from other students.
Natural diabetes therapies complementing medication
Aside from support in taking their diabetes medication, children need to get lifestyle coaching that will last them through their lives, so that they don’t allow their bodies to get out of sink for avoidable reasons. Natural therapies cannot cure type 1 Diabetes, but can complement other diabetes treatments and may help by making the body more receptive to insulin supplied by injection. It is particularly critical for people with type 1 Diabetes to work carefully with the doctor prescribing insulin before contemplating the use of any herbs, supplements, or dietary changes mentioned in this article. Any change that makes the body more receptive to insulin could require critical changes in insulin dosage that must be determined by the physician treating your child’s diabetes.
Jumat, 31 Agustus 2007
Tips to Lose Weight
Your weightloss goal must be long term in order to have lasting success. Think about this, if you only lost a pound a week that would be 52 pounds a year and that is a lot of weight loss. This may be a surprise to you, but there are certain mental factors at work in successful weight loss. One needs to have a clear goal in mind to be successful in weight loss endeavors. One needs to have clearly defined goals for achieveing the desired weightloss. You can enhance your weight loss program by learning successful ways to take control of your life as well as your thoughts and feelings. You didn't end up with extra weight overnight, and you cannot possibly experience significant or long lasting weight loss overnight either.
When you put together quality nutrition with the right fitness program, you have a killer recipe for losing weight. A person can increase your caloric and fat loss by increasing the pace and rhythm of your walks. When it comes to fat loss exercise, a great many folks turn to aerobics. Using "high intensity interval training" to boost fat loss and burn more calories is also greatly beneficial. It burns a vast amount of calories which helps with weight loss. The equation goes something like this: Increasing the metabolism will cause fat loss so increasing metabolism is a must.
Consistent exercise is one of the keys to targeting fat loss. Fat will never turn into muscle, but you can cause fat to burn quicker when you use a muscle workout as an aid for fat loss. You can't possibly achieve sustained weight loss success without a daily fitness program. Your workout, as part of your fat loss program and combined with a healthy diet, will cause you to burn that extra weight and you'll notice the results within a short period of time. The single biggest hurdle with most fat loss or exercise programs is that they are no fun! You're more likely to persevere in your efforts if you enjoy yourself. Swimming can be a great weight loss exercise, because it is easy on the joints.
Healthy weight loss can be achieved by proper diet and regular exercise. The best fat loss program doesn't focus on just weight loss but on real fat loss. Focusing on fat loss means getting rid of simple refined carbohydrates from your diet. For those wanting sustained weight loss, low Glycemic index foods naturally releases energy into the bloodstream at a slower rate, which can result in fewer feelings of hunger, and consequently help to control the appetite. In the high-carbohydrate diets, lowering the glycemic load doubled the amount of fat lost. Consuming more high protein and low glycemic foods will help you drop those pounds. You will be amazed to learn that eating the right carbohydrates will help you achieve desired fat loss. Carbohydrate foods with high glycemic index have been linked to increase in both diabetes, increase of weight and heart disease while foods with low glycemic index has been shown to help with type two diabetes. If you are not familiar with the low glycemic diet, just do a Google search on it.
When you put together quality nutrition with the right fitness program, you have a killer recipe for losing weight. A person can increase your caloric and fat loss by increasing the pace and rhythm of your walks. When it comes to fat loss exercise, a great many folks turn to aerobics. Using "high intensity interval training" to boost fat loss and burn more calories is also greatly beneficial. It burns a vast amount of calories which helps with weight loss. The equation goes something like this: Increasing the metabolism will cause fat loss so increasing metabolism is a must.
Consistent exercise is one of the keys to targeting fat loss. Fat will never turn into muscle, but you can cause fat to burn quicker when you use a muscle workout as an aid for fat loss. You can't possibly achieve sustained weight loss success without a daily fitness program. Your workout, as part of your fat loss program and combined with a healthy diet, will cause you to burn that extra weight and you'll notice the results within a short period of time. The single biggest hurdle with most fat loss or exercise programs is that they are no fun! You're more likely to persevere in your efforts if you enjoy yourself. Swimming can be a great weight loss exercise, because it is easy on the joints.
Healthy weight loss can be achieved by proper diet and regular exercise. The best fat loss program doesn't focus on just weight loss but on real fat loss. Focusing on fat loss means getting rid of simple refined carbohydrates from your diet. For those wanting sustained weight loss, low Glycemic index foods naturally releases energy into the bloodstream at a slower rate, which can result in fewer feelings of hunger, and consequently help to control the appetite. In the high-carbohydrate diets, lowering the glycemic load doubled the amount of fat lost. Consuming more high protein and low glycemic foods will help you drop those pounds. You will be amazed to learn that eating the right carbohydrates will help you achieve desired fat loss. Carbohydrate foods with high glycemic index have been linked to increase in both diabetes, increase of weight and heart disease while foods with low glycemic index has been shown to help with type two diabetes. If you are not familiar with the low glycemic diet, just do a Google search on it.
How to Prevent Cancer with Proper Diet and Supplements
By epidemiological studies and by direct trials, much evidence has by now been gathered about the cancer prevention effects of certain diet measures, of specific food sources and of specific supplements of natural substances.
GENERAL DIET ADVICES
A diet with the aim of preventing cancer is generally the same as a diet to prevent heart disease and other diseases. Here are the general diet advices:
Avoid or reduce the amount of food that are industrially processed, artificially made or heavily fried.
Eat fish at least every second day. Also eat seafood and fouls.
Do not eat very much red meat.
Eat 5 fruits or vegetables each day. Each piece should be of the size of an apple or carrot. They should be raw or carefully boiled so that the nutrients are not washed out.
Eat full corn bread, full corn cereals, peas, beans and potatoes.
Eat just a moderate amount of fat.
Ideally most fat you eat, should be of the type mono-unsaturated. You also need some poly-unsaturated fat of the types omega-3, and omega 6, but not too much of omega-6. The consumption of saturated fat should be moderate.
In order to achieve right fat balance, much of the fat supply should come from a blending of sources like olive, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, nut oil, sunflower, sunflower oil, fish and fish oil.
Use only a moderate amount of soy oil and corn oil in the diet. Only using such oil types will give you too muchmuch poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.
Use just a very moderate amount of fat sources like butter, coconut oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat.
Avoid altogether fat that has been chemically altered, giving so-called trans-fat. This type of fat is often found in margarine, cookies, snacks, fast food and other pre-made food.
Consume just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.
Consume just a moderate consumption of tranquilizers and stimulants like alcohol and caffeine.
Use just a moderate amount of salt in the food. However, in warm weather and by hard physical work, you will need more salt.
SPECIFIC FOODS AND DRINKS TO USE
Generally plants, fruits and spices with a strong colour or a strong taste have cancer preventing effects because of the contents of bioflavonoid and other anti-oxidants.
Broccoli, cabbage, mustard, kale, and cauliflower are vegetables with proven strong cancer preventing effects, probably due to the content of indole-3-carbinole.
Onion and garlic are also thought to help prevent cancer.
Whole grain and bread made of whole grain will help prevent colon cancer because of the fibre content and possibly also because of the vitamins and minerals contained.
Red peppers give a protecting effect against prostate cancer.
Eating fish, and especially fat fish, some times each week also have a protecting effect against prostate cancer.
Evidence points to the conclusion that green tea can help prevent cancer. However studies so far undertaken do not sort out all other variables that may give the same result.
Some studies have indicated that drinking coffee reduces the incidence of cancer, but others studies have thrown doubt upon these results.
SUPPLEMENTS OF VITAMINS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Her are listed the most important cancer preventing effects suggested by results from recent projects. However, research is going on, and these results are not yet complete or absolutely certain.
These substances give general cancer prevention effects: Sulforaphanes found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.
Colo-rectal cancer: These substances help protect against colo-rectal cancer: Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), Folic acid / folate in combination with other B-vitamins, Selenium, Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy, and possibly also vitamin D. Alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E) may help, but project results are not conclusive jet.
Gastric cancer: Substances that may help prevent gastric cancer, and even help cure changes that can evolve into gastric cancer are: Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, (a precursor of vitamin A), Alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E), Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy.
Breast Cancer: The incidence of breast cancer can be lowered by: Folic acid / folate, Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), Selenium, and possibly vitamin D.
Prostate Cancer: These substances may help protect against Prostate cancer: Selenium and Alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E). A long study is under way, but the results from the study are not conclusive yet.
Bladder cancer: The chance of getting bladder cancer is possibly lowered by alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E).
Lung cancer: Substances that gives protection against Lung Cancer are: Isoflavones from soy. Indol-3-carbinol from broccoli and other crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy and possibly Vitamin D.
Results from research projects suggest that supplements added to the diet to prevent cancer should contain many working substances derived from natural sources, and that it is not wise to use heavy doses of just one substance.
NUTRIENTS THAT MAY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT
Beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements may increase the chance for heavy smokers of getting lung cancer and other cancers caused by smoking, according to results from epidemiologic studies.
However, these vitamins in the food doe not increase this risk. It is not clear what effect beta-carotene have on lung cancer in combination with other supplements or by non-smokers. The results from these studies are also controversial.
Vitamin E supplements seem to protect against Cancer, but heavy vitamin E amounts may in fact increase the chance of getting heart problems and stroke.
GENERAL DIET ADVICES
A diet with the aim of preventing cancer is generally the same as a diet to prevent heart disease and other diseases. Here are the general diet advices:
Avoid or reduce the amount of food that are industrially processed, artificially made or heavily fried.
Eat fish at least every second day. Also eat seafood and fouls.
Do not eat very much red meat.
Eat 5 fruits or vegetables each day. Each piece should be of the size of an apple or carrot. They should be raw or carefully boiled so that the nutrients are not washed out.
Eat full corn bread, full corn cereals, peas, beans and potatoes.
Eat just a moderate amount of fat.
Ideally most fat you eat, should be of the type mono-unsaturated. You also need some poly-unsaturated fat of the types omega-3, and omega 6, but not too much of omega-6. The consumption of saturated fat should be moderate.
In order to achieve right fat balance, much of the fat supply should come from a blending of sources like olive, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, nut oil, sunflower, sunflower oil, fish and fish oil.
Use only a moderate amount of soy oil and corn oil in the diet. Only using such oil types will give you too muchmuch poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.
Use just a very moderate amount of fat sources like butter, coconut oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat.
Avoid altogether fat that has been chemically altered, giving so-called trans-fat. This type of fat is often found in margarine, cookies, snacks, fast food and other pre-made food.
Consume just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.
Consume just a moderate consumption of tranquilizers and stimulants like alcohol and caffeine.
Use just a moderate amount of salt in the food. However, in warm weather and by hard physical work, you will need more salt.
SPECIFIC FOODS AND DRINKS TO USE
Generally plants, fruits and spices with a strong colour or a strong taste have cancer preventing effects because of the contents of bioflavonoid and other anti-oxidants.
Broccoli, cabbage, mustard, kale, and cauliflower are vegetables with proven strong cancer preventing effects, probably due to the content of indole-3-carbinole.
Onion and garlic are also thought to help prevent cancer.
Whole grain and bread made of whole grain will help prevent colon cancer because of the fibre content and possibly also because of the vitamins and minerals contained.
Red peppers give a protecting effect against prostate cancer.
Eating fish, and especially fat fish, some times each week also have a protecting effect against prostate cancer.
Evidence points to the conclusion that green tea can help prevent cancer. However studies so far undertaken do not sort out all other variables that may give the same result.
Some studies have indicated that drinking coffee reduces the incidence of cancer, but others studies have thrown doubt upon these results.
SUPPLEMENTS OF VITAMINS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Her are listed the most important cancer preventing effects suggested by results from recent projects. However, research is going on, and these results are not yet complete or absolutely certain.
These substances give general cancer prevention effects: Sulforaphanes found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.
Colo-rectal cancer: These substances help protect against colo-rectal cancer: Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), Folic acid / folate in combination with other B-vitamins, Selenium, Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy, and possibly also vitamin D. Alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E) may help, but project results are not conclusive jet.
Gastric cancer: Substances that may help prevent gastric cancer, and even help cure changes that can evolve into gastric cancer are: Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, (a precursor of vitamin A), Alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E), Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy.
Breast Cancer: The incidence of breast cancer can be lowered by: Folic acid / folate, Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), Selenium, and possibly vitamin D.
Prostate Cancer: These substances may help protect against Prostate cancer: Selenium and Alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E). A long study is under way, but the results from the study are not conclusive yet.
Bladder cancer: The chance of getting bladder cancer is possibly lowered by alfa-tocoferol (a kind of Vitamin E).
Lung cancer: Substances that gives protection against Lung Cancer are: Isoflavones from soy. Indol-3-carbinol from broccoli and other crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy and possibly Vitamin D.
Results from research projects suggest that supplements added to the diet to prevent cancer should contain many working substances derived from natural sources, and that it is not wise to use heavy doses of just one substance.
NUTRIENTS THAT MAY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT
Beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements may increase the chance for heavy smokers of getting lung cancer and other cancers caused by smoking, according to results from epidemiologic studies.
However, these vitamins in the food doe not increase this risk. It is not clear what effect beta-carotene have on lung cancer in combination with other supplements or by non-smokers. The results from these studies are also controversial.
Vitamin E supplements seem to protect against Cancer, but heavy vitamin E amounts may in fact increase the chance of getting heart problems and stroke.
Kamis, 30 Agustus 2007
Vitamins and Cancer Prevention
Much has been studied about the role of certain vitamins, minerals and herbs
in cancer prevention. Some of the most promising cancer prevention
properties come from those vitamins that are known as antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances that protect the body's cells from damage caused
by dangerous free radicals, which can potentially cause cancer. There are
many different sources of antioxidants, including herbs, vitamins, and
foods. Here are some of the most widely recommended supplements thought to
help prevent cancer by fighting free radicals:
Beta Carotene: Beta carotene is thought to reduce the risk of cancer,
especially lung cancer. Beta carotene is naturally occurring in red and
orange foods such as pumpkin, squash, carrots, and red peppers. Beta
carotene can also be found in dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.
Lutein: Lutein can help prevent colon cancer and encourage good eye health.
Find lutein in dark green vegetables like collard greens, kale and spinach.
Lycopene: Lycopene has been studied for it's prostate cancer preventing
properties. Tomato products are the best sources of lycopene. Studies have
shown that processed tomato products like canned tomatoes, soups and juices
are higher in lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
Vitamin A:Vitamin A, whose most common form is retinol, is a powerful
antioxidant with cancer preventing properties that is found in such foods as
liver, carrots, milk, egg yolk and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin C: Getting enough Vitamin C can help prevent cancers of the mouth,
throat, esophagus, lung and colon. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits,
berries, broccoli, and even lean poultry, beef and types of fish.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is thought to prevent certain types of cancer such as
prostate cancer and can be found in foods like green, leafy vegetables,
fortified cereals, wheat germ oil and almonds.
Green Tea: Green tea is a powerful source of free-radical fighting
antioxidants. Drink green tea in it's natural form or try a supplement if
you can't stand the taste.
It's a good idea to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean
protein and healthy fat like the omegas found in wild salmon. You can add
vitamin supplements to your diet as well. Try a multivitamin that contains
a specialized blend of all the vitamins required for total-body health.
Before adding nutritional supplements to your diet, talk to your doctor or
nutritionist to be sure you take the right dosage and tell them what
medications you are taking to avoid possibly dangerous interactions.
by: Tim Whiston
in cancer prevention. Some of the most promising cancer prevention
properties come from those vitamins that are known as antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances that protect the body's cells from damage caused
by dangerous free radicals, which can potentially cause cancer. There are
many different sources of antioxidants, including herbs, vitamins, and
foods. Here are some of the most widely recommended supplements thought to
help prevent cancer by fighting free radicals:
Beta Carotene: Beta carotene is thought to reduce the risk of cancer,
especially lung cancer. Beta carotene is naturally occurring in red and
orange foods such as pumpkin, squash, carrots, and red peppers. Beta
carotene can also be found in dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.
Lutein: Lutein can help prevent colon cancer and encourage good eye health.
Find lutein in dark green vegetables like collard greens, kale and spinach.
Lycopene: Lycopene has been studied for it's prostate cancer preventing
properties. Tomato products are the best sources of lycopene. Studies have
shown that processed tomato products like canned tomatoes, soups and juices
are higher in lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
Vitamin A:Vitamin A, whose most common form is retinol, is a powerful
antioxidant with cancer preventing properties that is found in such foods as
liver, carrots, milk, egg yolk and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin C: Getting enough Vitamin C can help prevent cancers of the mouth,
throat, esophagus, lung and colon. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits,
berries, broccoli, and even lean poultry, beef and types of fish.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is thought to prevent certain types of cancer such as
prostate cancer and can be found in foods like green, leafy vegetables,
fortified cereals, wheat germ oil and almonds.
Green Tea: Green tea is a powerful source of free-radical fighting
antioxidants. Drink green tea in it's natural form or try a supplement if
you can't stand the taste.
It's a good idea to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean
protein and healthy fat like the omegas found in wild salmon. You can add
vitamin supplements to your diet as well. Try a multivitamin that contains
a specialized blend of all the vitamins required for total-body health.
Before adding nutritional supplements to your diet, talk to your doctor or
nutritionist to be sure you take the right dosage and tell them what
medications you are taking to avoid possibly dangerous interactions.
by: Tim Whiston
Cancer - The Missing Point
If one were to judge by television advertising and news reports, it would seem that the “war on cancer” is all but won. What are the weapons being heralded? Drugs, research, tests and exams. They miss the point.
“Prevention” is promoted as meaning catching the disease early. Really. That also misses the point. Is it “prevention” if you call 911 when you come home and see smoke billowing from all your windows? Do we just live with a carpe diem philosophy and wait for the doctor to tell us we have a lump in our breast or a swollen nodular prostate? Is the cause of cancer a lack of one of the new cancer drugs? Is the cause of cancer really unknown, requiring endless research?
First, let me put to rest the propaganda that the war is being won. Since President Nixon declared the war (1971) and after over 200 billion dollars have been spent on research (remember, one billion is a thousand million), more Americans will die of cancer in the next 14 months than have died in all U.S. wars ever fought combined! (Where are the protest marches?) Soon, cancer will overtake heart disease as the number one killer.
Decades ago, early in the war, there were some dramatic successes such as with Hodgkin's disease and some forms of childhood leukemia. There can be little doubt that debunking (surgical removal) of large cancers brings benefits. But the big killers such as colorectal, lung, prostate and breast cancer remain as threatening as ever. Survival gains are measured primarily in additional months (not years) added to life, not in cures. The placebo effect is by and large ignored. (People getting a sugar pill placebo in cancer studies have been known to lose their hair and some actually cure themselves by simply thinking they will be cured.) A percentage of people can experience remissions spontaneously and from simple lifestyle adjustments, but the cancer therapy is always credited with the cure.
Investigations
"Placebo Learning: The Placebo Effect as a Conditioned Response," 1985; 2(1):23.
O'Regan B, et al. 1993. Spontaneous Remission: An Annotated Bibliography. Sausalito, CA.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0943951178/103-3301155-6416668?v=glance
Talbot M. 1991. The Holographic Universe. New York. Harper Collins Publishers
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060922583/103-3301155-6416668?v=glance
Townsend Letter, 2004; 251:32-3 http://www.townsendletter.com/June2004/June2004.htm
Statistics can always be massaged to create the result desired. This practice is rampant in cancer research. Animal models (euphemism for real living and feeling caged creatures being tortured by the millions) do not prove effectiveness across species boundaries to humans. Neither do laboratory cell lines. That's why all the "breakthroughs" based on tumor shrinkage never pan out. For-profit drug companies and National Cancer Institute grant-based research ignore metastases (the spreading cells of cancer through the body) in their positive reports. Instead they highlight and focus on more easily obtained lab results, such as "tumor shrinkage,” and on easily manipulated clinical data such as "five-year survival."
Twelve new "improved" drugs introduced in Europe between 1995 and 2000 were no better than the drugs they replaced. But the prices were all higher, in one instance by a factor of 350 times. One new "revolutionary" drug, Erbitux™, found to "shrink" tumors but not extend the lives of patients at all costs $2,400 per week. Avastin™, another costly chemotherapeutic, by the best calculation, extended the lives of 400 colorectal patients by 4.7 months. Tamoxifin™ is proven to be effective in decreasing breast cancer. Risk is decreased by about 15% but what is not equally heralded is the fact that it increased the risk of endometrial uterine cancer by about 15%. (Patient Information: Nolvadex, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals)
Are such results worth the financial devastation and miserable life that chemotherapy, radiation and surgery impose? Is that the way to spend one's remaining days? If such therapy does add a couple of months, are those couple of months really worth the poking, prodding, pain, unrelenting nausea, disfiguring, destruction of the immune system and increased susceptibility to other diseases? "Yes" would be a hard answer to justify.
In the face of a cancer diagnosis most people just throw up their hands in terror and surrender to the conventional cancer therapy death process. The feeling is that something must be done, and, since "doctors know best," one must begin the "fight" by following the advice of the doctor. But fighting does not mean surrendering to the will of another person who has their own personal agenda and narrowed field of view dictated by the club they belong to. That misses the point. You must do something.
Here's the on-point best approach:
1. Prevention means adjusting your life right now so that you are living in tune with your design. Cancer is, quite simply, the reaction of cells subjected long enough to an environment they are not designed for. The genetic apparatus loses its bearings, becomes insane, if you will, and regresses to embryonic infancy and just begins multiplying recklessly. What is the proper environment? It is that food, air, water and lifestyle you are genetically designed for. The proper healthy preventive living context is encapsulated in the Wysong Optimal Health Program™.
2. If you get cancer, don't panic. First thing is follow #1 advice. Learn. Gather as much information as you can from all resources, not just what the medical establishment provides. We try to gather such information for you in:
The Wysong Directory of Alternative Resources http://www.wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/PROD/EDUAIDS/MM028
3. Think about what has happened in your life that has caused the disease. It is caused, it does not just happen. Correct your life.
4. You take control of your own body and you make the decisions. Determine to set right what is wrong and do it. Taking control is essential to not feeling like a helpless victim and sinking into hopeless despair – a sure mindset to speed the disease along.
5. Think long and hard before submitting to unproven cancer therapies. If the doctor cannot prove effectiveness (at least prove that you will be better off with the therapy than without) and if you are not willing to take the risk of all the contraindications, then don't submit because you think it is "all that can be done." It isn't. See #2 above.
All good things in life are hard. In our modern world, good health takes effort and attention. Preventing and reversing disease also takes effort – your effort. Begin today to take charge of your health and be the best you can be. Most chronic degenerative diseases have long latency periods, the time between when the disease begins and it manifests in overt symptoms. Most everyone reading this has such disease brewing within at this very moment. So take advantage of the window of opportunity and give your body a chance by living the life you were designed to live. That will not only prevent disease from gaining a foothold, but reverse disease that is incubating within.
Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living entitled Thinking Matters: 1-Living Life... As If Thinking Matters; 2-The Big Questions...As If Thinking Matters, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 18 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net. Also check out http://www.cerealwysong.com
by: Dr. Randy Wysong
“Prevention” is promoted as meaning catching the disease early. Really. That also misses the point. Is it “prevention” if you call 911 when you come home and see smoke billowing from all your windows? Do we just live with a carpe diem philosophy and wait for the doctor to tell us we have a lump in our breast or a swollen nodular prostate? Is the cause of cancer a lack of one of the new cancer drugs? Is the cause of cancer really unknown, requiring endless research?
First, let me put to rest the propaganda that the war is being won. Since President Nixon declared the war (1971) and after over 200 billion dollars have been spent on research (remember, one billion is a thousand million), more Americans will die of cancer in the next 14 months than have died in all U.S. wars ever fought combined! (Where are the protest marches?) Soon, cancer will overtake heart disease as the number one killer.
Decades ago, early in the war, there were some dramatic successes such as with Hodgkin's disease and some forms of childhood leukemia. There can be little doubt that debunking (surgical removal) of large cancers brings benefits. But the big killers such as colorectal, lung, prostate and breast cancer remain as threatening as ever. Survival gains are measured primarily in additional months (not years) added to life, not in cures. The placebo effect is by and large ignored. (People getting a sugar pill placebo in cancer studies have been known to lose their hair and some actually cure themselves by simply thinking they will be cured.) A percentage of people can experience remissions spontaneously and from simple lifestyle adjustments, but the cancer therapy is always credited with the cure.
Investigations
"Placebo Learning: The Placebo Effect as a Conditioned Response," 1985; 2(1):23.
O'Regan B, et al. 1993. Spontaneous Remission: An Annotated Bibliography. Sausalito, CA.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0943951178/103-3301155-6416668?v=glance
Talbot M. 1991. The Holographic Universe. New York. Harper Collins Publishers
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060922583/103-3301155-6416668?v=glance
Townsend Letter, 2004; 251:32-3 http://www.townsendletter.com/June2004/June2004.htm
Statistics can always be massaged to create the result desired. This practice is rampant in cancer research. Animal models (euphemism for real living and feeling caged creatures being tortured by the millions) do not prove effectiveness across species boundaries to humans. Neither do laboratory cell lines. That's why all the "breakthroughs" based on tumor shrinkage never pan out. For-profit drug companies and National Cancer Institute grant-based research ignore metastases (the spreading cells of cancer through the body) in their positive reports. Instead they highlight and focus on more easily obtained lab results, such as "tumor shrinkage,” and on easily manipulated clinical data such as "five-year survival."
Twelve new "improved" drugs introduced in Europe between 1995 and 2000 were no better than the drugs they replaced. But the prices were all higher, in one instance by a factor of 350 times. One new "revolutionary" drug, Erbitux™, found to "shrink" tumors but not extend the lives of patients at all costs $2,400 per week. Avastin™, another costly chemotherapeutic, by the best calculation, extended the lives of 400 colorectal patients by 4.7 months. Tamoxifin™ is proven to be effective in decreasing breast cancer. Risk is decreased by about 15% but what is not equally heralded is the fact that it increased the risk of endometrial uterine cancer by about 15%. (Patient Information: Nolvadex, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals)
Are such results worth the financial devastation and miserable life that chemotherapy, radiation and surgery impose? Is that the way to spend one's remaining days? If such therapy does add a couple of months, are those couple of months really worth the poking, prodding, pain, unrelenting nausea, disfiguring, destruction of the immune system and increased susceptibility to other diseases? "Yes" would be a hard answer to justify.
In the face of a cancer diagnosis most people just throw up their hands in terror and surrender to the conventional cancer therapy death process. The feeling is that something must be done, and, since "doctors know best," one must begin the "fight" by following the advice of the doctor. But fighting does not mean surrendering to the will of another person who has their own personal agenda and narrowed field of view dictated by the club they belong to. That misses the point. You must do something.
Here's the on-point best approach:
1. Prevention means adjusting your life right now so that you are living in tune with your design. Cancer is, quite simply, the reaction of cells subjected long enough to an environment they are not designed for. The genetic apparatus loses its bearings, becomes insane, if you will, and regresses to embryonic infancy and just begins multiplying recklessly. What is the proper environment? It is that food, air, water and lifestyle you are genetically designed for. The proper healthy preventive living context is encapsulated in the Wysong Optimal Health Program™.
2. If you get cancer, don't panic. First thing is follow #1 advice. Learn. Gather as much information as you can from all resources, not just what the medical establishment provides. We try to gather such information for you in:
The Wysong Directory of Alternative Resources http://www.wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/PROD/EDUAIDS/MM028
3. Think about what has happened in your life that has caused the disease. It is caused, it does not just happen. Correct your life.
4. You take control of your own body and you make the decisions. Determine to set right what is wrong and do it. Taking control is essential to not feeling like a helpless victim and sinking into hopeless despair – a sure mindset to speed the disease along.
5. Think long and hard before submitting to unproven cancer therapies. If the doctor cannot prove effectiveness (at least prove that you will be better off with the therapy than without) and if you are not willing to take the risk of all the contraindications, then don't submit because you think it is "all that can be done." It isn't. See #2 above.
All good things in life are hard. In our modern world, good health takes effort and attention. Preventing and reversing disease also takes effort – your effort. Begin today to take charge of your health and be the best you can be. Most chronic degenerative diseases have long latency periods, the time between when the disease begins and it manifests in overt symptoms. Most everyone reading this has such disease brewing within at this very moment. So take advantage of the window of opportunity and give your body a chance by living the life you were designed to live. That will not only prevent disease from gaining a foothold, but reverse disease that is incubating within.
Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living entitled Thinking Matters: 1-Living Life... As If Thinking Matters; 2-The Big Questions...As If Thinking Matters, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 18 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net. Also check out http://www.cerealwysong.com
by: Dr. Randy Wysong
Cancer of the Penis
Cancer of the penis is extremely rare in the United States, affecting only about 1,500 men each year, or about 1 in every 100,000 men. The penile cancer rate is much higher among men in India and some South American countries, where circumcision at birth is not as common as in the United States.
The risks for penile cancer include:
Age: Most cases are seen in men aged 50-70, although nearly a third of cases occur in men under 50.
Smoking: Men who either chew or smoke tobacco are more at risk for penile cancer.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV): This sexually transmitted disease has more than a dozen subtypes. HPV 16 and HPV 18 are most frequently linked to penile cancer.
Lack of circumcision at birth: Studies have shown that penile cancer rates are higher in populations where circumcision is done later or not at all.
Phimosis: a condition in which it's difficult to pull back the foreskin, which can lead to the buildup of body oils, bacteria and other debris known as smegma.
Symptoms
Penile cancer starts on the glans (head), or tip, of the penis and spreads from there. Some men may have obvious symptoms in the early stages, while others may not have any symptoms until the disease has advanced. Although it may not mean cancer, any abnormalities of the penis should be reported to your doctor as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many men are reluctant to discuss these issues with their physician, and may delay seeking treatment until the disease is advanced and harder to treat.
Men who have retained their foreskin need to examine the area underneath the foreskin regularly, as well as keeping the area clean to lower their risk. Penile cancer symptoms may include:
* A wart-like growth or lesion
* An open sore that won't heal
* A reddish rash
* Persistent, smelly discharge under the foreskin
Treatment
Treating penile cancer depends on the stage of disease. Surgery is the most common form of therapy, but laser therapy and radiation can be used for smaller tumors. Surgery to remove all or part of the penis is called penectomy:
Partial penectomy is a frequently-used form of therapy. The tumor is removed along with a margin of normal tissue. Historically, a two-centimeter margin was obtained in all cases, but more recent data suggest that such wide margins may not be necessary. Surgeons are currently attempting to spare as much of the glans (head) and shaft as possible to retain urinary and sexual function.
Total penectomy involves removal of the entire penis for large tumors. The surgeon reroutes the urethra behind the testicles and a urethrostomy (hole) is created so the patient can urinate. Penile reconstruction surgery using a flap of skin from the forearm to create a new penis has been done, but the procedure is still extremely rare.
For very small superficial tumors, penile cancer may be treated with a laser beam that destroys the tumor, radiation therapy and in some cases, a cream containing the chemotherapy drug flourouracil applied to the skin. These treatments offer the best opportunity to spare the glans penis and sexual function. That is why it is important to find penile tumors early by seeking immediate medical attention for any abnormalities on the penis.
The risks for penile cancer include:
Age: Most cases are seen in men aged 50-70, although nearly a third of cases occur in men under 50.
Smoking: Men who either chew or smoke tobacco are more at risk for penile cancer.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV): This sexually transmitted disease has more than a dozen subtypes. HPV 16 and HPV 18 are most frequently linked to penile cancer.
Lack of circumcision at birth: Studies have shown that penile cancer rates are higher in populations where circumcision is done later or not at all.
Phimosis: a condition in which it's difficult to pull back the foreskin, which can lead to the buildup of body oils, bacteria and other debris known as smegma.
Symptoms
Penile cancer starts on the glans (head), or tip, of the penis and spreads from there. Some men may have obvious symptoms in the early stages, while others may not have any symptoms until the disease has advanced. Although it may not mean cancer, any abnormalities of the penis should be reported to your doctor as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many men are reluctant to discuss these issues with their physician, and may delay seeking treatment until the disease is advanced and harder to treat.
Men who have retained their foreskin need to examine the area underneath the foreskin regularly, as well as keeping the area clean to lower their risk. Penile cancer symptoms may include:
* A wart-like growth or lesion
* An open sore that won't heal
* A reddish rash
* Persistent, smelly discharge under the foreskin
Treatment
Treating penile cancer depends on the stage of disease. Surgery is the most common form of therapy, but laser therapy and radiation can be used for smaller tumors. Surgery to remove all or part of the penis is called penectomy:
Partial penectomy is a frequently-used form of therapy. The tumor is removed along with a margin of normal tissue. Historically, a two-centimeter margin was obtained in all cases, but more recent data suggest that such wide margins may not be necessary. Surgeons are currently attempting to spare as much of the glans (head) and shaft as possible to retain urinary and sexual function.
Total penectomy involves removal of the entire penis for large tumors. The surgeon reroutes the urethra behind the testicles and a urethrostomy (hole) is created so the patient can urinate. Penile reconstruction surgery using a flap of skin from the forearm to create a new penis has been done, but the procedure is still extremely rare.
For very small superficial tumors, penile cancer may be treated with a laser beam that destroys the tumor, radiation therapy and in some cases, a cream containing the chemotherapy drug flourouracil applied to the skin. These treatments offer the best opportunity to spare the glans penis and sexual function. That is why it is important to find penile tumors early by seeking immediate medical attention for any abnormalities on the penis.
Prostate cancer screening and detection
More prostate cancers were detected among men who were screened every two years than men screened every four years, according to a study published online August 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. But the shorter time between screenings did not reduce the number of aggressive cancers found between the scheduled screening tests.
Since the introduction of PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing in the late 1980s, the incidence of prostate cancer has risen dramatically. The rise is mainly due to widespread screening of asymptomatic men. Screening for prostate cancer is a controversial issue because evidence is lacking that PSA screening prevents prostate cancer deaths. Looking at the rate of interval cancers - cancers diagnosed based on symptoms during the years between screening tests - may give an indication of how well a screening program is working.
Monique Roobol, Ph.D., of Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether the time between PSA screenings influenced the incidence of prostate cancer. They analyzed data collected at two European medical centers that participated in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer. At a center in Gothenburg, Sweden, 4,202 men were screened every two years, and in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 13,301 men were screened every four years. The researchers compared both the number and characteristics of the interval prostate cancers diagnosed in these men. Serious, potentially life threatening interval cancers were analyzed separately.
Over a period of ten years, the overall incidence of prostate cancer was higher among men screened every two years than among those screened every four years (13.14 percent vs. 8.41 percent). But the total number of interval cancers that were diagnosed between screening tests was 31 (0.74 percent) in Gothenburg and 57 (0.43 percent) in Rotterdam. This difference in the number of interval cancers and the number of aggressive interval cancers at the two centers was not statistically significant, indicating that the two-year screening program did not reduce the number of interval cancers as would be expected.
"It is therefore more realistic to believe that each screening will again lead to prostate cancer diagnoses among some men from a large pool harboring small and often clinically insignificant disease and thus that more cancers were detected in Sweden because screening was more frequent," the authors write. Additionally, larger cancers seem to be identified with equal effectiveness if screening takes place every 2 or 4 years.
In an accompanying editorial, E. David Crawford, M.D., of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Aurora discusses the controversy surrounding prostate cancer screening and the challenge in determining how often to screen.
"Although many of us believe that early detection is saving lives, definitive evidence is lacking," Crawford writes.
Selasa, 28 Agustus 2007
ANTIBIOTICS
We are overusing antibiotics so that bacterial resistance is becoming a significant threat. The CDC has estimated that treatment of infections due to resistant bacteria costs more than $4 billion annually. There are many factors associated with increasing resistance.
• Increased antimicrobial use in the community and hospital
– Increase in empiric antibiotics
– Prolonged and broad-spectrum antibiotic courses
– Repeated antibiotic courses
• Prolonged Hospitalizations
• Severely ill patient status
• Immunocompromised state
• Increase use of intravascular devices and catheters
• Inadequate infection control procedures
• Antibiotic use in animals and agriculture
The medical community can help curb this problem by offering the patient narrow spectrum or older antibiotics, shorter duration of therapy when appropriate and manipulating the dose of antibiotics. Perhaps even more importantly, doctors need to educate their patients regarding the risk of using antibiotics and spend more time discussing prevention. Patients would be wise to ask if there are any other options to consider, if watchful waiting is an option and if the antibiotic is specific for the condition.
Together, we can reduce this significant threat of bacterial resistance.
Hana R. Solomon, MD
August 16, 2005
drhana@nasopure.com
• Increased antimicrobial use in the community and hospital
– Increase in empiric antibiotics
– Prolonged and broad-spectrum antibiotic courses
– Repeated antibiotic courses
• Prolonged Hospitalizations
• Severely ill patient status
• Immunocompromised state
• Increase use of intravascular devices and catheters
• Inadequate infection control procedures
• Antibiotic use in animals and agriculture
The medical community can help curb this problem by offering the patient narrow spectrum or older antibiotics, shorter duration of therapy when appropriate and manipulating the dose of antibiotics. Perhaps even more importantly, doctors need to educate their patients regarding the risk of using antibiotics and spend more time discussing prevention. Patients would be wise to ask if there are any other options to consider, if watchful waiting is an option and if the antibiotic is specific for the condition.
Together, we can reduce this significant threat of bacterial resistance.
Hana R. Solomon, MD
August 16, 2005
drhana@nasopure.com
Senin, 27 Agustus 2007
Cancer Drugs May Lead To Serious Health Problems In Long Term
Angiogenesis inhibitors, drugs that block a tumor's development of an independent blood supply, have been touted as effective cancer fighters that result in fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. However, a new study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center has shown that one method of blocking blood-supply development could result in serious and potentially deadly side effects.Several newly developed angiogenesis inhibitors work by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an important signaling protein that spurs the growth of new blood vessels. Avastin, an angiogenesis inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration for colon and lung cancers, inhibits angiogenesis by blocking VEGF signaling from outside the cell. UCLA researchers wanted to know what happened when VEGF signaling was blocked from within endothelial cells, a mechanism used by some small-molecule drugs currently being tested in late-phase clinical trials.The result was unexpected and sobering. More than half of the mice in the study suffered heart attacks and fatal strokes, while those that remained alive developed serious systemic vascular illness, said Luisa Iruela-Arispe, a professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology and director of the Cancer Cell Biology program at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center.The study appears Aug. 24 in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Cell."This was an extremely surprising result," said Iruela-Arispe, past president of the North American Vascular Biology Organization and a national expert on angiogenesis. "I think this study is cause for some caution in the use of angiogenesis inhibitors in patients for very long periods of time and in particular for use of those inhibitors that block VEGF signaling from inside the cell."About 5 percent of patients taking Avastin develop blood clot-related side effects, Iruela-Arispe said. But because Avastin was approved only three years ago, it is unclear what side effects may occur when patients remain on the drug for many years, she said.In the three-year study, Iruela-Arispe created mice that were missing VEGF in the endothelial cells, the cells that line the inside of blood vessels and form an interface between circulating blood and the vessel wall. Endothelial cells line the circulatory system from the heart to the smallest capillary and reduce friction in the flow of blood. Iruela-Arispe and her team did not expect to see much of an effect because the amount of VEGF made inside endothelial cells is miniscule compared with the levels of VEGF created outside the cells.However, 55 percent of the mice in the study died by 25 weeks of age, the equivalent of age 30 in humans. The mice that were followed into old age were very ill."Some side effects have already been identified in people taking angiogenesis inhibitors," Iruela-Arispe said. "And they've been along the lines of what we're seeing in the lab."Iruela-Arispe and her team were surprised that the higher levels of VEGF found outside the endothelial cells did not compensate for the absence of the very tiny amounts inside the cells. The miniscule amount of VEGF missing had "a tremendous biological significance," she said."Clearly there is signaling from inside the cell that is different from signaling initiated outside the cell," Iruela-Arispe said. "When there is no VEGF signaling inside the cell, the endothelial cells die. The intracellular part of the VEGF signaling loop is required for cell survival. This is the first demonstration that intracellular signaling is an important event."It had been unclear why some patients on angiogenesis inhibitors developed problems with blood clots. Iruela-Arispe said her study sheds light on one possible cause."There is enough smoke in the sky here to make me feel there may be a fire," she said. "I believe the survival function of VEGF signaling is mediated from both outside and inside the cell. When we block it from the inside, the outside signaling cannot compensate. But when we block it from the outside, maybe the inside signaling can compensate. That would explain the lesser side effects found when using drugs such as Avastin, which block the extracellular signaling."Iruela-Arispe believes angiogenesis inhibitors will continue to be effective weapons in the cancer arsenal. However, a more targeted approach to drug delivery should be explored. Avastin, like most angiogenesis inhibitors, is infused systemically now. If the drugs could be targeted more directly to the new vessels being formed by the tumor, they might not result in the side effects seen now
Minggu, 26 Agustus 2007
16 Tips to Looking Feeling Great
16 Tips to Looking Feeling Great
by: Jesse CannoneDo you want to improve the quality of your life? Do you want to look and feel better than you have in years – maybe better than you ever have before? Do you want to protect yourself from disease and injury? And do you want to live a longer, more vital life?
I’m confident that you answered YES! to each of those questions, just as the hundreds of individuals I’ve counseled, coached, and trained in my career as a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Rehabilitation Specialist. I’m now going to reveal to you the 16 essential strategies that have enabled my clients to achieve the health and fitness goals they always wanted! 16 Essential Weight Loss and Fitness Strategies 1. In the beginning, your fitness program should not be overly aggressive. One of the biggest problems people encounter when starting a fitness program is rapidly depleted motivation after only a few weeks due to an overly ambitious fitness program. Attempting to do too much too fast is worse than doing nothing at all! Because then you feel like exercise is too hard and it’s just not for you. Start out slow, maybe just shooting for 1 or 2 workouts a week. Once you have successfully added that to your normal routine, then attempt to slowly add to your fitness program. Plus, most people don’t need to exercise more than 3-4 times a week. That doesn’t mean you can’t exercise more; it’s just not necessary. 2. Always have a detailed plan! In order to reach your health and fitness goals, you must have a road map to follow. I can’t stress this enough. If you are unsure of how to put together a fitness plan, or if you’re uncertain of the effectiveness of the one you have, I highly recommend you consult a professional fitness trainer. With a well thought out plan you are much more likely to be successful! 3. Set realistic, attainable goals. You must have tangible, quantifiable, short and long-term goals so you can measure and assess your progress. Too many people have totally unrealistic expectations of what to expect from an exercise and nutrition program. The best way for you to understand what is realistic and attainable is to talk with a fitness professional – not to buy into the “hype” of infomercials and diet and fitness products that are blatantly misleading. 4. Keep a journal! This is one of the most important things you can do. If you’re not tracking what you’re doing, how will you know what worked? There are quite a few great exercise and nutrition logs I’ve come across. You should keep track of all your exercise and also each day’s food intake. There’s a company called NutraBiotics that makes a great 90-day journal that can be used to track strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and daily nutrition. If you would like more information on this journal, please feel free to call me at 240-731-3724. 5. You must be accountable! Set exercise appointments with yourself if you’re not working with a personal fitness trainer. Use your appointment book to set aside times for exercise, just like you do for meetings or events. Don’t let things get in the way. Nothing is more important than your health! If you don’t have your health you can’t effectively do anything. I often have mothers tell me that they can’t find time to exercise because they have to take care of their children. I have 4 daughters myself, and a baby on the way, so I know exactly how hard it is. Whatever your situation is, making the commitment to exercise and your health IS possible, and very important. Plus, it sets a great example for the children! 6. Remember the benefits of exercise. Being physically fit affects every aspect of your life: you sleep better, eat better, love better, overcome stress better, work better, communicate better, and live better! Remember how good it feels to finish a workout, and how great it feels to meet your goals! 7. Exercise safely and correctly. So much time is wasted doing, at best, unproductive exercise, or at worst, dangerous exercise. Educate yourself on how to exercise correctly. The best way to do that is to hire a personal fitness trainer. It could be for just a few sessions to learn the basics, or it could be for a few months to learn everything. It’s completely up to you. But statistics prove that those who understand how to exercise correctly get better, faster results. And that’s what you want, right? 8. Enjoy your exercise! For example, if you hate doing strength training, try to find ways to make it more enjoyable. Circuit training might be a more fun and exciting way to fit this important part of fitness into your program. The key is you should enjoy it, and if you don’t you need to look for other exercises or activities to replace whatever it is you don’t enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, how do you expect to stick with it? 9. Make time to stretch! It has so much benefit and takes very little time. So many people suffer from various aches and pains of which most can be eliminated by basic stretches! Try to spend at least 5 minutes after each workout stretching. For more information on stretching and how it eliminates aches and pains, please call 240-731-3724 to request a FREE copy of my special report “No More Back Pain”. 10. Don’t think you need to exercise 5 days a week! I touched on this earlier. Many people feel they’re getting fat because they’re not exercising. Totally not the case! Exercise is not the answer! It’s all in your eating habits. However, exercise can aid in burning body fat, plus there are numerous health benefits. Think of exercise as a bonus. How many people do you know who exercise 3-5 times per week, but still fail to meet their weight loss and fitness goals? I’ve met hundreds! First look at your eating habits, such as: when you eat, what you eat, how much you eat, where you eat, and how often you eat. 11. Never skip breakfast, or any meal! If you want to maximize your fitness or fat-loss efforts you’ve got to eat breakfast! So many people skip breakfast, and it’s the worst thing you could ever do when it comes to fat-loss. Skipping meals throws your blood sugar all out of whack and it sets you up to store your next meal as fat, almost guaranteed! 12. Eat fat to lose fat. Healthy fats are necessary to your body for numerous reasons: regulating hormonal production, improving immune function, lowering total cholesterol, and providing the basics for healthy hair, nails, and skin. The key is to eat the right types of fats. The “good’ fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and avocados, to name a few. The “bad” fats are partially hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Most processed foods contain large amounts of these bad fats. For more information on the different types of fats, please call 240-731-3724 to request a FREE copy of my Healthy Eating Guidelines. 13. Drink plenty of fresh, clean water. Yes, I know that you have probably heard this one over and over again. But there’s a reason for that – it’s that important! The recommended daily intake of water is 8 glasses, or 64 oz. You should even be drinking even more if you are active or exercise regularly. And no, soda, juice, coffee, and tea DON’T count! Nearly every chemical process place in your body, takes place in water! Proper blood flow and digestion are both affected by how much water you drink, and poor blood flow and digestion can be linked to numerous health conditions. 14. Stabilize your blood sugar! If you want to burn fat and prevent your body from putting it back on, you must stabilize your blood sugar. In order to do this you need to eat small, balanced meals or snacks every 2-3 hours. Fasting, skipping meals, and overly restrictive diets will enable you to lose weight – in the short run. The weight you lose is primarily water weight and muscle tissue, and in the long run has opposite effect of what you want. When you restrict your diet, your body instinctively thinks it’s being starved and shifts into a protective mode by slowing down the metabolism and storing nearly all calories as body fat. Plus, losing muscle tissue is the last thing you want to do. Muscle burns calories, even while you sleep. You should be focused on increasing, or at least maintaining muscle tissue. 15. Focus on increasing muscle tissue. As I mentioned previously, muscle burns calories, so if you want to increase your metabolism, you have to increase your muscle. The best way to do that is with progressive strength training. That doesn’t mean you have to join a gym, buy expensive fitness equipment, or follow some bodybuilding workout program; it simply means you need to challenge your muscles! You can do that at home in just 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a week. 16. Get the help of an expert! Obviously, meeting your health and fitness goals is important to you, so why not eliminate the guesswork and start seeing the results you have always wanted? With the help of a qualified professional you can! If your car breaks down, where do you take it? Mechanic, right? How about if you have a cavity? Dentist. So why is it that so many people attempt to solve their health and fitness problems without consulting an expert? I don’t know exactly, but I encourage you to make the investment in yourself- in your life- by hiring a professional to educate you and help you meet your goals. So there you have it. The 16 essential strategies for an effective weight loss and fitness program that will have you looking and feeling great!About The AuthorJesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer and author of the best-selling fitness ebook, Burn Fat FAST. Be sure to sign up for his free email course as it is full of powerful weight loss and fitness tips that are guaranteed to help you get the results you want. www.guaranteed-weightloss.cominfo@guaranteed-weightloss.com
by: Jesse CannoneDo you want to improve the quality of your life? Do you want to look and feel better than you have in years – maybe better than you ever have before? Do you want to protect yourself from disease and injury? And do you want to live a longer, more vital life?
I’m confident that you answered YES! to each of those questions, just as the hundreds of individuals I’ve counseled, coached, and trained in my career as a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Rehabilitation Specialist. I’m now going to reveal to you the 16 essential strategies that have enabled my clients to achieve the health and fitness goals they always wanted! 16 Essential Weight Loss and Fitness Strategies 1. In the beginning, your fitness program should not be overly aggressive. One of the biggest problems people encounter when starting a fitness program is rapidly depleted motivation after only a few weeks due to an overly ambitious fitness program. Attempting to do too much too fast is worse than doing nothing at all! Because then you feel like exercise is too hard and it’s just not for you. Start out slow, maybe just shooting for 1 or 2 workouts a week. Once you have successfully added that to your normal routine, then attempt to slowly add to your fitness program. Plus, most people don’t need to exercise more than 3-4 times a week. That doesn’t mean you can’t exercise more; it’s just not necessary. 2. Always have a detailed plan! In order to reach your health and fitness goals, you must have a road map to follow. I can’t stress this enough. If you are unsure of how to put together a fitness plan, or if you’re uncertain of the effectiveness of the one you have, I highly recommend you consult a professional fitness trainer. With a well thought out plan you are much more likely to be successful! 3. Set realistic, attainable goals. You must have tangible, quantifiable, short and long-term goals so you can measure and assess your progress. Too many people have totally unrealistic expectations of what to expect from an exercise and nutrition program. The best way for you to understand what is realistic and attainable is to talk with a fitness professional – not to buy into the “hype” of infomercials and diet and fitness products that are blatantly misleading. 4. Keep a journal! This is one of the most important things you can do. If you’re not tracking what you’re doing, how will you know what worked? There are quite a few great exercise and nutrition logs I’ve come across. You should keep track of all your exercise and also each day’s food intake. There’s a company called NutraBiotics that makes a great 90-day journal that can be used to track strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and daily nutrition. If you would like more information on this journal, please feel free to call me at 240-731-3724. 5. You must be accountable! Set exercise appointments with yourself if you’re not working with a personal fitness trainer. Use your appointment book to set aside times for exercise, just like you do for meetings or events. Don’t let things get in the way. Nothing is more important than your health! If you don’t have your health you can’t effectively do anything. I often have mothers tell me that they can’t find time to exercise because they have to take care of their children. I have 4 daughters myself, and a baby on the way, so I know exactly how hard it is. Whatever your situation is, making the commitment to exercise and your health IS possible, and very important. Plus, it sets a great example for the children! 6. Remember the benefits of exercise. Being physically fit affects every aspect of your life: you sleep better, eat better, love better, overcome stress better, work better, communicate better, and live better! Remember how good it feels to finish a workout, and how great it feels to meet your goals! 7. Exercise safely and correctly. So much time is wasted doing, at best, unproductive exercise, or at worst, dangerous exercise. Educate yourself on how to exercise correctly. The best way to do that is to hire a personal fitness trainer. It could be for just a few sessions to learn the basics, or it could be for a few months to learn everything. It’s completely up to you. But statistics prove that those who understand how to exercise correctly get better, faster results. And that’s what you want, right? 8. Enjoy your exercise! For example, if you hate doing strength training, try to find ways to make it more enjoyable. Circuit training might be a more fun and exciting way to fit this important part of fitness into your program. The key is you should enjoy it, and if you don’t you need to look for other exercises or activities to replace whatever it is you don’t enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, how do you expect to stick with it? 9. Make time to stretch! It has so much benefit and takes very little time. So many people suffer from various aches and pains of which most can be eliminated by basic stretches! Try to spend at least 5 minutes after each workout stretching. For more information on stretching and how it eliminates aches and pains, please call 240-731-3724 to request a FREE copy of my special report “No More Back Pain”. 10. Don’t think you need to exercise 5 days a week! I touched on this earlier. Many people feel they’re getting fat because they’re not exercising. Totally not the case! Exercise is not the answer! It’s all in your eating habits. However, exercise can aid in burning body fat, plus there are numerous health benefits. Think of exercise as a bonus. How many people do you know who exercise 3-5 times per week, but still fail to meet their weight loss and fitness goals? I’ve met hundreds! First look at your eating habits, such as: when you eat, what you eat, how much you eat, where you eat, and how often you eat. 11. Never skip breakfast, or any meal! If you want to maximize your fitness or fat-loss efforts you’ve got to eat breakfast! So many people skip breakfast, and it’s the worst thing you could ever do when it comes to fat-loss. Skipping meals throws your blood sugar all out of whack and it sets you up to store your next meal as fat, almost guaranteed! 12. Eat fat to lose fat. Healthy fats are necessary to your body for numerous reasons: regulating hormonal production, improving immune function, lowering total cholesterol, and providing the basics for healthy hair, nails, and skin. The key is to eat the right types of fats. The “good’ fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and avocados, to name a few. The “bad” fats are partially hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Most processed foods contain large amounts of these bad fats. For more information on the different types of fats, please call 240-731-3724 to request a FREE copy of my Healthy Eating Guidelines. 13. Drink plenty of fresh, clean water. Yes, I know that you have probably heard this one over and over again. But there’s a reason for that – it’s that important! The recommended daily intake of water is 8 glasses, or 64 oz. You should even be drinking even more if you are active or exercise regularly. And no, soda, juice, coffee, and tea DON’T count! Nearly every chemical process place in your body, takes place in water! Proper blood flow and digestion are both affected by how much water you drink, and poor blood flow and digestion can be linked to numerous health conditions. 14. Stabilize your blood sugar! If you want to burn fat and prevent your body from putting it back on, you must stabilize your blood sugar. In order to do this you need to eat small, balanced meals or snacks every 2-3 hours. Fasting, skipping meals, and overly restrictive diets will enable you to lose weight – in the short run. The weight you lose is primarily water weight and muscle tissue, and in the long run has opposite effect of what you want. When you restrict your diet, your body instinctively thinks it’s being starved and shifts into a protective mode by slowing down the metabolism and storing nearly all calories as body fat. Plus, losing muscle tissue is the last thing you want to do. Muscle burns calories, even while you sleep. You should be focused on increasing, or at least maintaining muscle tissue. 15. Focus on increasing muscle tissue. As I mentioned previously, muscle burns calories, so if you want to increase your metabolism, you have to increase your muscle. The best way to do that is with progressive strength training. That doesn’t mean you have to join a gym, buy expensive fitness equipment, or follow some bodybuilding workout program; it simply means you need to challenge your muscles! You can do that at home in just 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a week. 16. Get the help of an expert! Obviously, meeting your health and fitness goals is important to you, so why not eliminate the guesswork and start seeing the results you have always wanted? With the help of a qualified professional you can! If your car breaks down, where do you take it? Mechanic, right? How about if you have a cavity? Dentist. So why is it that so many people attempt to solve their health and fitness problems without consulting an expert? I don’t know exactly, but I encourage you to make the investment in yourself- in your life- by hiring a professional to educate you and help you meet your goals. So there you have it. The 16 essential strategies for an effective weight loss and fitness program that will have you looking and feeling great!About The AuthorJesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer and author of the best-selling fitness ebook, Burn Fat FAST. Be sure to sign up for his free email course as it is full of powerful weight loss and fitness tips that are guaranteed to help you get the results you want. www.guaranteed-weightloss.cominfo@guaranteed-weightloss.com
The Benefits Of Aromatherapy Essential Oils
The benefits of aromatherapy is the use of essential plant oils as an alternative from of medical treatment. Although its exact uses are still being explored, you should pursue this treatment if you want new and safe options for your medical condition treatment. Aromatherapy can be used to treat a variety of physical and mental illnesses, so it is becoming more popular for people who are not having success with traditional medical options. Essential oils are most commonly used in aromatherapy procedures, although this term is often used as an umbrella term that includes true essential oils, absolutes, and CO2. Aromatherapy essential oils, it is important to note, are very different from fragrances, which also come in oil form many times. Some of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy include sweet almond, cocoa butter, jojoba, olive, peanut, shea butter, and sunflower. Essential oils are purely produced with the plant of their name, and are highly concentrated. This differs from perfume oils and fragrances, which contain chemicals and are often diluted with water. Since there are no regulations, some companies incorrectly label perfume oils "essential." Check the label to see the ingredients to be sure you are using true essential oil. Not all essential oils are good for aromatherapy, and some may even be hazardous to your health. Stay away from bitter almond, onion, garlic, rue, sassafras, camphor, wintergreen, and horseradish. There are other dangerous essential oils as well, so be very careful if you are attempting home therapy. It is best to seek professional help instead. He or she many use some of the aforementioned essential oils in very small doses, but aromatheripists are trained in how to use them correctly. There are many benefits to aromatherapy essential oils. The smell can be drawn into your lungs to provide a multitude of physical and mental benefits, and the oils can be applied directly to your skin for other useful advantages. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils, since their power is so strong. When used improperly, because of their strength, essential oils can be very dangerous, so be sure you understand how to use them properly. There are many aromatherapy products on the market that can be used in your home. Before purchasing, be sure that the company is not just claiming that their products are good for aromatherapy use, but that they actually do work. Sometimes other chemicals are used to give a pleasant smell, but this may be a fragrance and nothing more. This will not help you medically. One such product that you may often use in your home is the citronella candle, which has essential oils in it that act as a mosquito repellant. Other products can be used in your home in a similar way to benefit your health. Research this option fully to find out if aromatherapy essential oils can help you.
This free article is provided by the FreeArticles.com Free Information Directory for educational purposes ONLY! It cannot be reprinted or redistributed under any circumstances.
This free article is provided by the FreeArticles.com Free Information Directory for educational purposes ONLY! It cannot be reprinted or redistributed under any circumstances.
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